Tricks Don't End on April 2

If you landed on Google's home page yesterday, I'm sure you noticed that the Google trademark was replaced with Topeka. April Fool's! OK, Google's switch was obviously in good fun, and it isn't the only company play along with the tricks and pranks of April 1. However, as cybercriminals become more sophisticated, it is a lot harder to know the difference between a computer prank or a real computer threat.

Approximately 6.5 million systems are still infected with either the .A or .B variants

The .C variant, which used a peer-to-peer method of propagating, has been slowly dying out over the past year. From a high of nearly 1.5 million infections in April of 2009, the infection rate has steadily decreased to between 210,000 to 220,000 infections. This indicates some computer users are fixing the issue and getting rid of the infection

Symantec also observed another variant, .E, released on April 8, 2009, but this variant deleted itself from infected systems on or after May 3, 2009

Thus far, the machines still infected with Downadup/Conficker have not been utilised for any significant criminal activity, but these 6.5 million computers infected with Downadup/Conficker are still like a loaded gun, waiting to be fired.

Protections are in place to monitor the botnet's activity and following the best practices above will go a long way in preventing further infections, but the reality is that until the current infections are completely eradicated, which likely will require a larger, radical action by ISPs, Downadup/Conficker is still a threat.

That in mind, enjoy the day, but do be mindful of websites that seem like a harmless prank. On April Fool's Day, nothing is as it seems.